Start-ups are acting in large environments gathering other business partners, universities, incubators, research organizations, funds, banks, venture capital firms, business angels, bigger companies and public authorities that create the legal framework and public support for their development. All these players create the start-up ecosystem.

If start-ups want to succeed and to grow beyond small national markets they have to know and to use synergies given by their local ecosystems. In this context, France has shown leadership in developing an innovative environment for the development of startups. On the other side, the V4 countries show strong potential and have made the development of startups the center of their cooperation.